bible

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

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Scripture

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last for ever.

Observation

We can have all the spiritual gifts in the world, but without love it is nothing- a noisy gong or a clashing cymbal.

Love is patient and kind. It is not jealous, boastful, proud, rude, demanding or irritable.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit such as prophecy will pass away because in heaven they will no longer be needed. Love lasts for ever.

We see things imperfectly now, but in eternity we will see clearly.

Application

This chapter is famously called the “Love Chapter.” It is sandwiched between two sections of Paul’s most extensive teaching on the spiritual gifts.

Some people try to contrast love and gifts. They claim that Paul is saying that love is better than prophecy or speaking in tongues. But he is not giving us a choice of one or the other. He is saying that anything we do in the name of Christ has to be done with love. If we don’t love the people around us, the actions we produce clash with the motives of our heart, rendering them useless.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit will not be needed in eternity. They are needed in this life because our relationships with God and with each other are marred by sin. People are hurting because of sin. The gifts will not be needed in heaven where everything is made perfect. This does not mean we should ignore them in this life.

Some people argue that now we have the complete New Testament, the perfect revelation of God’s will, then the partial things are now useless. There is no place in Scripture that says the gifts will cease.

We must pursue the fullness of the Holy Spirit- love and prophecy, the fruit and the gifts. In this way Christ is glorified in us and through us.

Prayer

Fill me Holy Spirit. Let every gift and all love be expressed in me. Amen.

Reflection on Psalm 1

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Scripture

They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.

Observation & Application

Those who refuse to walk with the wicked or with sinners are blessed. They meditate on God’s word day and night and prosper like a tree that bears fruit in every season. They are the tree of life for the nations and prosper in all they do.

God’s word is life-giving. It brings us to salvation and shows us how to live in God’s ways. The Scriptures correct us when we are wrong and equip us to shine the light of God’s glory in every situation,

We should meditate on God’s word day and night, delighting in His ways.

So many christians give scant attention to God’s word, and wonder why they can’t hear God or find His direction.

Studying the Bible is the foundation of every christian discipline. We pray because God tells us to and we find out how to do it through the examples of people in the Bible. We fast because God tells us to do so in His word.

To love God is to seek His ways.. To love God means that we want to know more about Him. We do this primarily through reading and meditating on the Scripture.

People often think to meditate we need to empty our minds of all thought. Biblical meditation means filling our mind with Him. We savour the word of God, letting key thoughts, words and phrases go around in our head until they become a part of who we are.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for your holy word. Help me to be faithful and diligent in reading it day and night. Amen.

Reflection on Jeremiah 1:1-10

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Scripture

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Observation

Jeremiah was a prophet called by God in the end period of the kingdom of Judah. He carried the Lord’s message during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah right through to the exile in Babylon.

The Lord called him to this prophetic ministry. The Lord knew him before he was born and appointed him to be a messenger to the nations.

Jeremiah says he is too young. But the Lord replies by saying that He has put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth.

Application

The Lord’s words to Jeremiah are true of all of us. He formed us and knew us before He made us. He sets each person apart for a task or an assignment.

We don’t think of ourselves in these terms. We think calling and appointment are only for the spiritual elites, the top people like pastors, evangelists and apostles.

The fact is that each person was hand- made by God for a specific purpose or a particular task.

Maybe it is leading a cell group, perhaps leading just one person to the Lord, or raising our children to love the Lord.

Whether we are called to pull down and raise nations, to raise children or visit people in a nursing home, this is God’s mission and He appoints people to the right place.

Steve Stewart, leader of Impact Nations, a short term missions group, has a favourite saying. “You were made for this!” It doesn’t matter what the “this” is. You were made for a task that nobody else can do.

Prayer

Lord God, you made the heavens and the earth. You fashioned me to be your instrument. Help me to fulfil your mission. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 62:1-5

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Scripture

The nations will see your righteousness;

world leaders will be blinded by your glory.

And you will be given a new name

by the Lord’s own mouth.

Observation/ Application

Isaiah says he loves Jerusalem and will not stop praying for her. Her hard times will give way to glory and righteousness. Then the nations will see Jerusalem and be blinded by her glory.

This speaks of the church. This is the “new name” for Jerusalem. The covenant isn’t just with Israel any more but to all who love Jesus.

So, like Isaiah, we should continue to pray for the church- the assembly of christians, the people who love God. We should pray for the local church, persecuted christians around the world, the mission of the church locally and globally.

As we learn to more fully worship and obey the Lord, nations will come streaming to the church. When we live in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, the radiance of God shines from us to those who are thirsty for the Lord.

World leaders and local politicians will see the way that christians live and what they achieve. They will ask “How do you do that?” The ways of the Holy Spirit are perplexing and attractive to those who do not know the Lord.

Of course, those who see what the church is and what it does and don’t like it, will rise against it. There are many people who do not like the light but prefer the darkness. Persecution will always be a fact of life for christians, but what glory awaits for those who remain faithful to the Lord.

Prayer

Help me Lord to see the glory of your church. May the nations come to taste of your mercy, and leaders see your glory. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

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Scripture

I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

Observation

In this passage, Paul explores the area of spiritual gifts. He says that nobody can curse Jesus if they are speaking by God’s Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them all. God works in each person in different ways, but He is still the same God.

God gives His gifts to help us serve one another. These gifts include words of wisdom and knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues.

The gifts all come from one God and are given as He determines.

Application

Back in the 1970’s during the charismatic revival, spiritual gifts were controversial. Not so much today, in most parts of the church.

Back then there were people who claimed to be “tongue testers”. They could tell whether a person was speaking in tongues by the Holy Spirit or some other spirit. So they were using the gift of discernment of spirits to prove their point that the gifts of the Spirit are fake.

Here is the good news about spiritual gifts, and tongues in particular. Nobody curses Jesus while speaking in tongues. If you love the Lord you will want to please Him. These gifts, even the ones we cannot rationally understand, will glorify Jesus.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to all who love the Lord. They are there to help us minister to one another and to glorify God.

Prayer

Father, I thank you for the Holy Spirit. Please help me to understand how to flow in the gifts of the Spirit so that the Name of Jesus is lifted up through me. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 3:15-22

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Scripture

“I baptise you with water, but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am- so much greater that I’m not worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Observation

People are eagerly expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they begin to ask John the Baptist if he is the one. John says that there is someone coming soon who is much greater, and who will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

One day, Jesus comes to be baptised by John. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends , and a voice from heaven says, “You are my beloved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Application

The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance from sin. The baptism of Jesus is a baptism into the Holy Spirit and fire.

When we turn from our sins and ask Jesus to take control of our lives, we are immersed, soaked and filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the empowering to live for Christ and in Christ. The Holy Spirit comes with many gifts to enable us to have the power of Christ, and the fruit to give us the character of Christ.

Sometimes the expression of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is delayed. I have no explanation for that. I do know that at conversion we get all of the Holy Spirit.

There is another baptism, a baptism of fire. Fire represents judgement on sin. For those who do not follow Jesus it is a destructive fire. For those who so know Jesus, it is a purifying fire, a fire that burns away all of our sin.

Water baptism is a one-off event that symbolises our death to self and resurrection in Christ. Spirit baptism is a constant process in which we soak continuously in the grace of God.

Prayer

Glorious God, thank you for the baptism in the Spirit and of fire. Soak me and burn away all the chaff from my life so that I can be totally dedicated to you. Amen.

Reflection on Acts 8:14-17

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Scripture
The Holy Spirit had not come on any of them, for they had only been baptised in the name of Jesus.

Observation
Many people are turning to Jesus in Samaria under the preaching of Philip. The apostles send Peter and John to investigate what is happening. They find that none of the believers have received the Holy Spirit because they have only been baptised in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John lay their hands on the believers, and they receive the Holy Spirit.

Application
Many christians, and many pastors, are blasé about the words used in worship and in prayer. We all want to be spontaneous and led by the Holy Spirit.

I would not want to get trapped into a liturgical mind set where the words are recited by rote and with little care for their meaning. Yet, there are times when the words that are spoken are important to the Lord and so they should be important to us also.

The disciples in Samaria believed in Jesus and were baptised, but they lacked the Holy Spirit. This lack was so obvious that the visiting apostles saw it straight away.

The problem was that they had been baptised only in the name of Jesus and not in the full Trinity- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A failure in words led to a failure in the sacrament.

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul takes the church to task for its inadequate expression of the Lord’s Supper. He even states that because they failed to celebrate Communion with the right spirit, some of them had died.

Words in worship carry significance.

Prayer
Lord, purify me heart and my lips so that when I come before you to worship I do this with an undivided heart. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 43:1-7

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Scripture

“Don’t be afraid for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”

Reflection

God calls Israel (and us, His followers) to not be afraid. The Lord is God, and He has called me by name. He knows me; He knows my circumstances; He knows my fears.

The Lord says to me, “Do not be afraid! I am with you.”

God has ransomed me. He is my Redeemer. We celebrate the coming of Christ into the world at Christmas, and it is easy to miss the point that the baby will grow and mature and give His life as a ransom for many. A ransom for me!

If God loves me like this, can anything overcome Him? Can anything hurt me so that I should be afraid?

No! God’s love is never ending. He has ransomed my soul. I was in captivity to sin, but He has set me free.

He has called me by name. I am not a number in a computer, but a person with a name. God knows my name. He called out to me as Jesus called out to Lazarus, “Lazarus come out!”

My captivity is over. My bondage is broken. I am dancing on my chains!

I am Christ’s, He declares that He owns me. I am no longer living without purpose or direction. Now I follow Jesus, and He directs my path.

I am His, but not as a possession or a plaything. I am a part of the Bride. He tells me, “You are mine” because He loves me. I am safe at His side.

Prayer

Thank you so much Lord for redeeming me, ransoming me, setting me free from bondage to sin and death. Amen.

Reflection on Ephesians 3:1-12

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Scripture

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Observation

Paul is a prisoner of Christ for the sake of the Gentiles.

God’s plan is for both Gentiles and Jewish believers in Christ to share equally in God’s riches. Both are part of the same Body, and enjoy the same blessings because they belong to Christ.

God’s purpose is to display the riches of His wisdom in the variety of His people.

Application

The universal church is a majestic organisation composed of members from every tribe and every nation. Every culture is represented in the Body of Christ.

There are millions of congregations around the world, representing evangelical, orthodox, pentecostal, catholic and other streams. It seems chaotic because there is no centralised structure or chain of command,

Yet this amazingly diverse organisation is subject to Christ, and it reflects the glory of God.

We often think of the church in human terms- how we relate, styles of worship etc. We are often aware of our duty to proclaim the gospel to the people around us.

Paul tells us, though, that the church, in all its diversity, is a testimony to the unseen powers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

We preach the gospel to the world, but our most powerful testimony is in the heavens.

When christians gather to worship, or to evangelise, or to serve the poor, we are proclaiming the name of Christ add His victory, to the demons and principalities. They shrink in awe at the wisdom and power of God to redeem humanity.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing me into your Body, the church. Help me to find my proper place so that I can be a part of this powerful message of your love. Amen.

Reflection on Malachi 3:1-5

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Scripture

“Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Observation

The Lord will send His messenger to prepare the way. Then the Lord will come suddenly and appear in the Temple.

The Lord is coming like a refiner’s fire. He will purify the silver, the Levites, so that He will have men who bring Him offerings in righteousness. Then the offerings of Judah will be acceptable.

Then the Lord will come against the sinners and the oppressors of the weak and vulnerable because they refuse to fear the Lord.

Application

The Lord has a different idea of time to us. Malachi, writing about 400 BC says the Lord will appear suddenly in His Temple. It took 400 years, but then it did seem suddenly when Jesus came.

The Lord is good in all things, even in His timing and in His “suddenlies”.

Jesus refined the people. He brought judgement, but not in the way that people expected.

Those who are looking for salvation in Christ and who turn to Him in repentance will find forgiveness and new life. They will be free of sin.

Those who refuse to follow Jesus will be judged because they refuse to fear God and turn away from the sins.

In John 3:16-21 we read that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but His coming set a clear dividing line between the righteous and the evil. It is like a catalyst that is dropped into a test tube, and everything changes even though the catalyst remains untouched.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of a saviour who came so that everyone who trusts in Him will live for ever.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the message of Christmas. Thank you for sending Jesus into the world “suddenly” for my salvation. Amen.